Inhalant hood



Nov. 20, 1945. J; A. xaLssER INHALANT HOOD Nov. 20, 1945.

J. A. BLossER 2,389,293 f yINHALANT HOOD l Filed July 12, 1943 2Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR l JOHN L BLcssER Y 74 9W; ATTORNEY Patented Nov.20, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 'INHALAN T HOOD John A. Blosser,Oakland, Calif.

Application July 12, 1943, Serial No. 494,323;

s claims. (c1. 12s- 140) f The invention relates to a head-receivinghood or tent designed for use in administering an inhalant to areclining person.

A general object of the invention is to provide a particularly simpleand compact and inexpensive hood for the administration of oxygen andother inhalants in gas therapy treatments and the like.

Another object is to provide a portable and folding hood structure whichis adapted for eld use in times of war or public calamity, as Well as inhospital and other buildings.

A further object is to provide a hood of the class described having itsmembers inseparably associated and` arranged for cooperation to providea form-retaining hood or for their mutual folding together in a compactand flat package.

Yet another object is to provide a hood of the character describedhaving transparent side Walls to permit an observation of the person.being treated within it.

An added object is to provide an improved hood structure which isarranged for setting up as a tent about the head of a positionedpatient.

The invention possesses other objects and features of invention, some ofwhich, with the foregoing, will be set forth or be apparent in thefollowing description of a typical embodiment of the invention, and inthe accompanying drawings, in Which,

Figure l is a perspective view of a set-up hood embodying the featuresof present invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation showing the hood in use with a patient on abed.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary axial section of a gas inletconnection for the hood.

Figure 4 is a top view of the set-up hood.

Figure 5 is a sectional elevation of the hood at the line 5 5 in Figure4.

, Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken at the line 6-6 inFigure 4.

Figure '7 shows the hood folded or packaged for its transportation orstorage.

FEgure 8 is an end view of the folded-up hood uni Figure 9 shows thehood structure opened out flat as a blank.

In general terms, the disclosed hood-forming structure II embodying myinvention comprises a quadrilateral base member I2, side Wall members I3and I4 hingedly attached to opposite side edges of the base I2, a wall4member I5 hingedly attached to one end of the base I2, and cooperativemeans on the wall members for releasably and mutually securing them inhoodforming relation. As shown in Figure 2, the set-up hood is arrangedto receive the head -of a patient P disposed above the Abase memberIZand having his body extending from the opposite end of the hood from theend wall member. I5', the latter comprising a head-endor'head wall,member of the hood.

In the present embodiment of my invention, the base member I2 is anisosceles trapezoid in outline, and has the side wall members I3 and I4hingedly attached to it at and along its side edges. The head Wallmember I5 is also .an isosceles trapezoid in outline, andthis member hasits longer base edge attached lto the base member I2 at and along theshorterfbase edge of the latter, said edges being of like length. TheWall members I3 and I4 comprise pieces of a normally flat andelastioally flexible sheet material which may be, and is preferably,transparent for permitting a vviewing therethrough of the contents ofthe space within the set-,up hood. The head Wall member comprises apiece of flat sheet material which may be 'the same as that of the sideWall members I3 and I4, though the elastically iiexible and transparentqualities of the members I3 and Id are not essential in the wall I5. Aparticularly satisfactory material for the Wall members I3 and I4 and I5has been found to comprise cellulosic sheet material 'such as the lm onwhich X-ray pictures are taken.

The disclosed base member I2 isquadrilateral in outline and isformed ofa more-or-less exible and relatively heavy fabric such as canvas, andedge extensions I6 and I 1 and I8 thereof are iixed to and flat againstthe inner faces of the adjacent `edge portions of the Wall members lI3and I 4 and I5 respectively as by the use of an adhesive .and/orstitching I9, as is brought out in Figure 9. V,'l'his manner, ofattaching the hood Walls to the base I2 is understood to provide hingedconnections` for the hood elements, with the axes of hinging at the edge.lines of the'wall Y members in the planes of their inner faces, itbeing noted that these continuous hinge connections are gastight underatmospheric pressure conditions, as is desirable. ,f 1 1 It will now benoted that the edges -2I at the head ends of the side Wall members I3and. I4 have the same lengths as the side edges 22 of the head Wallmember I5, and that the edges 2| are coterminous with the edges 22at-the head-'end corners of the base I2; accordingly, the i'lrst saidwall edges 2| maybe brought into line registra# tion with thecorresponding second said .wall edges 22, by appropriately disposingthey sider and th'e' area of-'the `ho'od'opening 34 should'be adjustablebetween fifteen and twenty-five square inches 'for meeting normalrequirements for patients of dilerent sizes and/or conditions fortreatment.

The present hood isparticularly valuable for the administration ofoxygen for supporting respiration, though usable for the administrationof other gases or gaseous mixtures. Accordingly, and as brought out inFigures 2 and 3, a gas inlet port 31 is provided through the head Wallmember I adjacent its bottom for the connection of a gas supply tube 38thereat by means of a'suitable connector 39. As particularly shown, theconnector 39 comprises a tubular stem 4I engaged in the discharge end ofthe tube and providing a radial flange 42 at the rear end of a threadedforward end portion 4I' thereof, said stem portion being extendablethrough the port 31 and threadedly mounting a clamp nut or ring 43 atthe opposite side of the member I5 from the flange for clamping themember between it andthe flange, and so sealedly and detachably mountingthe connector 29 on the member. Oxygen is supplied to the tube and hoodat a controlled rate through an adjustable needle valve lid Aand froma-suitable source such as a tank 45 of the compressed gas. The dischargeend of the supply tube 44, might, of course, be extended into the hoodspace through the opening provided beside the patients body, theprovision and use of the port 31 then being dispensed with. In eithercase, the inhalant would be introduced below the level of the patientsnose and face.

Owing to the fact that the gaseous mixture exhaled by thev patient iswarmer, and therefore lighter, than the surrounding gases in the hoodspace, it tends to rise through said space to escape at the top opening34. Also, the Warming of the gases in the hood space by the heatradiated from the enclosed portion of the patients body tends to createa convection rise of the gases. Then too, the introduced oxygen tends tostay at the bottom of the hood space by reason of its greater specificgravity while displacing the other gases upwardly in said space byreason of its inow and thereby supplement the foregoing convectioneffects for creating an upward flow of the gases through and from thehood at the outlet opening 34.

Recalling that the connections of the base member with the various wallmembers provides a gas-tight seal for the bottom of the hood cavity, itWill be understood that the permitted rate of upward ow of gases throughthe hood space is jointly determined by the adjusted rate ofintroduction of oxygen into said space, by the rateof any inward airleakage about the patients body at the foot-end side wall edges 25 and26, by the rate of any inward air leakagethrough the slide-fastener orother wall connections at the sides of the head wal1 I5, and by theadjusted size of the discharge opening 34. Any air inflow into the hoodspace from the foot end of the hood along the patients body may bereadily regulated in accordance with the adjusted fit of the hood sidewalls over the body and/or the application of a loose cover member (notshown) thereat, it being obvious that the permitted inflow of air at anyair-inlet point should, in the interest of the economical use of theoxygen, prevent the escape of oxygen from the hood at that point.

In View 0f the foregoing, it will be understood that the effective rateof supply and the oxygen content of the gaseous mixture made availabletothe patient for inhalation is readily controlled by adjustably andcontrollably varying the permitted rate of air inlet about the patentsbody and/or the oxygen content of the gas admitted through the hoseconnector 39 and/or the rate of introduction of oxygen and/or the areaof the vent opening 34. It will also be understood that the heat andmoisture given olf by the enclosed portion of the patients body and inthe exhalations of the patient may comprise the sole sources of heat andmoisture within and determining the actual temperature and humiditywithin the hood in accordance with the adjusted flow rate of gasespermitted therethrough. Accessory apparatus for testing and/orcontrolling the temperature and humidity may, yof course, be provided.

The folding feature of the present hood structure makes the sameparticularly valuable as part of the equipment of mobile or. xed fieldhospitals or first-aid centers. By reference to Figures 6 and '7 and 8,it will be noted that the quadrilateral wall members I3 and I 4 and lI5are al1 so shaped that they may be folded and lapped into positionsopposite the base I2 without extending laterally beyond thebase, wherebythe flat-folded or packaged hood is no larger in its plane than thebase. Having a side wall member outermost with respect to the base wallmember, its tie strap may be looped around the package for tieing up thesame; as shown in Figures 7 and 8, the wall member I3 is outermostandits strap 21 is so utilized.

While the present hood has been hereinbefore particularly described asused for the administering of oxygen as an inhalant at atmosphericpressure, it will be understood that inhalants other than oxygen may beadministered therewith; for instance, gaseous anesthetics and/ormedicaments may be administered within the present hood structure.Furthermore, since the present hood structure is a unit with all partsattached and is usable without any accessory f equipment other than asource of gas and a hose therefrom, it is particularly useful asemergency and eld hospital equipment.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, the advantages of the construction and use of the present hoodfor administering inhalants will be readily understood by those skilledin the art to which this invention appertains. While I have describedthe features and principles of use of an assembly which I now considerto comprise a preferred embodiment of my invention, I desire to have itunderstood that the showing is primarily illustrative, and thatsuch'changes may be made, when desired,` as fall within the scope of thefollowing claims:

1. In an inhalant hood, a quadrilateral basemember arrangedA for thesupported disposal of the head portion of a p ersons body longitudinallythereover to extend from the foot end thereof, a flat head-wall memberextending upwardly from the head end of the base member, normally flatside-wall members of resiliently elastic sheet material extending alongand upwardly from the sides of the base member, said side wall membershaving their head ends sealedly connected to and along the sides of thehead-wall member and being exed into mutually lapped relation over saidhead portion of the persons body to provide a generally fittedengagement of their foot ends therewith whereby the base and head andside membersare .cooperative to :define espace enclos ing :said Snead-portion fof the persons body, said space .being zefectively gas-tight.at fits sides fand bottom :and having -a top opening fdened -hy :theupper edges of the .been .and side walls members.

2. .Astnndture inacoordance Withiolaim lliaivin'g .means :releasably'securing fthe-'dde Wall :members .in said iiexed and mutually 'lappedrelation.

3. A stru'ctln'e accordance with iclalim 1'1 draving .means releasablysecuring the iside .and fhead Wall members together rat .Thread-'endfoorners of the hood, fand fotlrer :means freleasably .seodring the:side wall members in .said 'flexed and mutually lapped cooperaidverelation.

'4. Astruoture in' faccordanoewith 4'claim 1 hay; ing :means vreleasablysecuring the y'side 'and head wall members together .at head-endburners-.of the hood, other means releasably securing the side wall:members :rn said diexed and mutually lapped relation, .and `meansunitarily zhmg'in'g 'the head andfside wall members to the basememberinsuch manner that the mutually freed Asaid'wall members may fbe -disposedIto extend laterally frnm the base member or be :folded 'inwardly `uponthe base member, optionally.

I5. .In an inlialant hood, a l'quad-rilafteral base member arranged forthe .supported disposal 'of the fhead portion of #a 4persons bodylongitudinally '.thereover Sto extend from *the foot fend thereof, aquadrilatera'l head wall member fof 's'tid sheet material -hin'gedlyconnected fte the sides 'of the ibase member by 'a `gas-tight .hingemeans and extending between fthe 'head-end cor-ners fo'f the basemember, quadrilateral side `Weill lmembers 'of :elastioally flexiblefand normally Tlat fs'heet material hingedly J'connected to the sides ofthe bafsemember by a gas-tight hinge means fandextending*fromthe'corresponding head-end Icorners of 'the base memberand having their `'head-end edges arranged for registration wthfthedifferent side ed'g'es fof 'the "headmember, releasablemeans on and"cooperative between the registered lsaid vedges o'fthe'memb'ers lforproviding gas-tigltfoonnotations therealong, and `strap membersfex'ten'd; mg 'ff-rom 'the free ioot-endoorners of the .side wallmembers "for :securing the latter 'members in mutually lapped and iiexedrel'ationyiith their fo'ote'n'd portions engaged fover and against thebody rof 'the person when tbe Ymembers are 's'ecured ito the head endmembers by the aforesaid means provided'therefor.

end of the fbase member by `a `gas-tight hinge i and Iexlmiciing betweenthe head-end .one

6. In :an 'inhalant hood Unit, la -duadrl'ateral baseY member arranged'for 'th'e supported disposal of the head 'portion of a persons bodylongitudinally thereover to eXtendjII-rom the Toot end thereof, 'aquadrilateral head member :of ys'tii sheet 'material hingedlyyconneotetl to the `lhea'd ners `of the vbase :member and 'arranged forfolded disposal'fopposite the base member, =guad1lateral side Wallmembers of elastically flexible sheet material hinged-1y connected to:the sides of the base member :by a rgas-tight :hinge .means and ex`tending from theoorresponding Snead-end .corners of the base member andarranged J.forffolded.disposal opposite the base memberor for vtheir disposal to have their head-end edges in registration with ithe differentside edges rof 'the lflaead member, means cooperative between the .registered -edges of 'the head 'and 'side :members :for providing releasablegas-tig1it conneotiens :therealong, Vfand ltie members extending :fromthe side members for use in securing these members mutually lappedrela-tion `and .tiered oondtion with :their foot-end portions engagedJ.oder Sand against :the 'bod-y of the ,patient when the edge connectingmea-ns is operative pr .for use in 'securing .the hood folded-npcondition.

7. in an mhalan-t nood lunit, a 4base member having its Iedges fdeiining-a .straight-:sided tarea for the :supported disposal of a hea-d portionof a persons .body longitudinally fthereover, a head Wall memberhingedly attached to and {extendin-g :along Yand laterally from thelfieadend 'of lthe base member, :side Wall 'members fof elasticallyiiexible and normally .dat sheet :material hngedly attached to 'andextending longitudinally along and laterally from lthe lside edges lofthe ibase member .and liaving their head-end :edges xai`- ranged foroornplementa-ry `fregistration with Icorresponding -side edges 'of thelhe'ad mall member When the members iare extended upwardly .efrom tbe-base member, means toperative atithe mutu ally registerable fedges Iofthe :head 'wall ,member and lside Wall members to releasably andsealedly sect1-re -sa-id members together when their fsaid complementaryedges are in registration, and means cooperative between the rsideWall'members at their -foot l'end :portions ior releasa'blysecnririg the.latter members'in mutually lapped und cylindrically flexed 4conditionl.opposite the sfootfend portion'oftlie'base'arean 8. A structure finiacoordamoe with rolaim l? whereof the head Wall member 'is fofztrapezoidal form Khaving its shorter @base fat .its tree edgaan'd theside Wall members are quadrilateral :and are provided with mea-nsdirectly cooperative therebetween at :points adjacent fthe side edges*thereof which extend from thefouter ends-fof 'their headend edges 'tosecure the members -in adiustably lapped relation 'thereat independently`.of the se curing means Aat their foot-end portions.

Y JOHN fA.

